Why Don’t We Know, and Don’t Want To Know
The 2008 elections, background music please, preferably FOX’s opening theme of Election news- wait, wait, before you click the close button, let me say that my focus is more on why you were tempted to “x” me out.
Is voting apathy on the rise again? Or did it change to just outright refusing to vote? We’re seeing on TV all these thousands that attended the party conventions to undoubtedly support their godly candidates as they preached, in the form of raising their hands in the air and wiping off tears of glory.
BUT, there are quite a few who aren’t so sure who to devote their fanaticism towards. They may be weary of the stuff they’re seeing, despising mainstream more than ever and turning to the dark side, familiarizing themselves with underground, alternative media and considering the “third party something” option…”I guess.”
Might it have something to do with not knowing what’s going on? We have more choices than ever, but too many outlets are covering the same damn thing to the point where we can’t decipher which front page belongs to which publication. Even Europeans are getting sick of the excessive coverage. The media is supposed to filter out the junk, and have its audience be more knowing.
Project for Excellence in Journalism study results on top news trends across all media
The downpouring economy took over for a tiny bit, so did 9/11 coverage, but not before quickly being dethroned by what McCain or Obama thinks about so and so. What will the next president do about the economy? How does he feel about the 7th anniversary, as opposed to the people who actually lost their loved ones?
It’s forcing me to rethink the salience structure that media use when considering what should be on the top of the rundown, or on the front page. The good thing about this now is that it’s personally having me open the paper, or scroll downwards and click on smaller links, on stories other than juvenile name-calling between Palin and Obama, which by the way, Biden should really get into if he wants to be known as more than just the white, old dude that Obama chose to counter.
Own Digging
A mini assignment on quotes had me going around interviewing the locals and non-locals at the heart of NYC, Times Square, to get their opinions on the question, “What do you think of Palin?” I also swung by the Empire State building, knowing foreigners would be around, I was curious to hear their thoughts.
What I was expecting was hearing two extreme answers: love her, or hate her. But, what threw me off were the many people who did NOT know who she was. How can you not, is it possible you live in a bubble, free of media influence whatsoever? No, I didn’t ask that, and I wasn’t disappointed at how ignorant the population is on politics. There was a time when we didn’t know what Obama was about, or yes, even McCain. A few were embarrassed though:
A couple who attend a fashion school were staring at fabric when I repeated Palin’s name over and over. Finally, the man asks, “WHO?” The girl had a blank look on her face. “Isn’t Hillary the only woman running?”
A woman who spoke nothing but Spanish, supposedly, was waiting for her bus. With my horrible Spanish from high school, I asked her who she preferred, McCain or Obama. She nodded at the first two names, but when I got to Palin, she looked at me strangely, and said, “no se, sorry.”
A New Zealand man said he didn’t know who she was, but if he was able to, would vote for her anyway because he supports the Republican party. Thank goodness we don’t have folks like that, blindly voting…or do we?
Alison Moehnke, an artist, loves to blab, but I made her stop and ponder before cautiously saying, “I don’t know her, not sure of any of the politicians…they all want peace, love, and understanding.” She added, “So much spin has been added, I can’t follow anymore…”
A woman from Seattle, whose daughter repeatedly nagged not to give her name out to me( after all, it wouldn’t be “safe” to tie her name to her words now would it?) said for the first time in her 63 years of living, she does not plan to vote. I wish I could share the exact quote, but I ripped out the page the moment she agreed with her daughter.
I sat down with an acquaintance who just completed his time in the Navy, Mr. Edward Lilley Jr. OS2. He plans on working as a police officer in our fine city. After small talk, I remembered my role, and threw the question out there, “So who are you going to vote for?”
With a dreaded look on his face, I had to assure him that I wasn’t going to hold him to anything, but he answered, “I’m not going to vote.” Why? ” I don’t know who they are, what they stand for, I just dont know.”
Obviously frustrated, this man, who has been to Iraq twice, saluting the flag everywhere he went, is not going to participate and have one vote count towards a candidate he’s not sure about.
Pressing further, I asked what he meant by not knowing. He has equal animosity for both, despite considering himself a Republican, he replied.
Sites like this, and this, are popping up everywhere- not saying they weren’t around in previous elections, but the fact that they are popularizing yet again says something about the American public.
We’re confused, even at a time when so much information is available, overly available, at our fingertips. As a result, we don’t know, and we don’t want to know. And our gatekeepers, are making the election decision so overwhelming difficult, to the point where some of us throw our hands up-and give up.